With Meta announcing it is ending its third-party fact-checking program and moving to a community notes model similar to the social platform X, it’s more important than ever to follow trusted sources of news online.
The CBS News Confirmed team, which is dedicated to covering misinformation and sharing fact-checks across CBS News’ platforms, has tips for telling fact from fiction:
Check the source
Does the person or publication sharing the information have a track record of sharing reliable information? If not, take a closer look.
Check your emotions
Take a second to pause. Think about the intentions behind the post. Often bad actors post inflammatory content designed to evoke an emotional reaction, sometimes for personal gain.
Check the date
On social media, photos and videos can be reshared long after an event takes place. So even if it’s your first time seeing it, it doesn’t mean a post is new. After looking into the source, it’s crucial to look beyond the headline and check the original publication date to make sure what you’re seeing is current.
Check the context
Articles and headlines can often be shared out of context. Many people are guilty of sharing posts on social media without actually clicking into them and reading the full story. Be sure to open articles to read more about when and how events took place. Check the location to make sure it’s accurate.
Cross-check the information
It’s helpful to have more than one source of information for any story you come across, especially when something seems questionable. A quick search on the internet can reveal different information and opinions. It can also help you determine if what you’re seeing is satire or being used out of context.
Follow reputable fact-checking accounts on social media
There’s a lot of misleading information online, especially around breaking news stories. Follow CBS News Confirmed on Instagram and TikTok for more tips, fact-checks and visual investigations.
